Portable Draft Beer Equipment for Events, Festivals & Catering
Serving draft beer at an event requires different equipment than a permanent bar installation. You need gear that's portable, fast to set up, and reliable under field conditions — whether that's a backyard party, a festival with 500 people, or a catered corporate event. This collection covers everything you need to pour draft beer away from a fixed draft system.
What We Carry Here
- Jockey boxes — coil and cold plate coolers for chilling and dispensing beer on the go; the professional standard for event draft service
- Coils, cold plates & ferrules — replacement and upgrade parts for building or servicing a jockey box
CO2 vs. Hand Pump — Always Use CO2 When Quality Matters
Hand pumps push air (oxygen) into the keg, which stales beer within 12–24 hours. A CO2 picnic tap costs only slightly more and keeps beer fresh for the full duration of a multi-day event. For any event where beer quality reflects on your brand or your client's, CO2 is the only right answer.
Sizing Your Setup
- Under 50 people: single-tap jockey box with a 5 lb CO2 cylinder handles most events
- 50–150 people: dual-tap jockey box or two single-tap setups; 10 lb CO2 cylinder recommended
- 150+ people / festivals: contact us — we can help spec a multi-tap setup with the right cooling capacity for your volume
Rounding Out Your Event Setup
A jockey box is the core of a portable draft system, but most event builds need a few more pieces:
- CO2 regulators & picnic taps — see CO2 & Mixed Gas Regulators
- Party pumps (D-system hand pumps for single-day events) — see Party Pumps & Hand Taps
- Hand trucks for moving kegs at events — see Hand Truck & Keg Dolly Parts
- Faucets and shanks to complete the build — see Beer Faucets & Shanks
Event Dispensing FAQ
Coil box or cold plate — which jockey box style should I use?
Coil boxes chill beer as it passes through a long stainless coil packed in ice, and hold temperature well over a long event. Cold plates chill faster on startup but can warm up under sustained heavy pouring unless you're refreshing the ice regularly. For all-day festival service, a coil box is the more forgiving choice.
How much ice do I need to run a jockey box for a full day?
Plan on refreshing ice every 3-4 hours of active pouring for a single-tap coil box, more often in hot weather or with heavy volume. Pack the box fully before the event starts — a jockey box that begins the day only half-iced will struggle to hold temperature once pouring starts.
